EXCLUSIVE: Now Meghan Markle 'Falls Out' With Her Loving Mom! Duchess 'At War' With Doria Ragland After Making 'Dig at Her Everyone Has Missed'
Meghan Markle has become embroiled in fresh claims of family tension after a remark in her Netflix series
Jan. 8 2026, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle has become embroiled in fresh claims of family tension after a remark in her Netflix series was interpreted as a veiled dig at her mother, Doria Ragland, prompting talk of a quiet rift between the Duchess of Sussex and the woman who once lived with her to help raise her children.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the claims center on Markle, 44, her mother Ragland, 69, and Prince Harry, 41, following the release of With Love, Meghan on Netflix in late 2025.
Netflix Line Sparks New Family Rift Claims
Meghan sparked fresh speculation after she described her mother as a free spirit on her Netflix show.
The lifestyle series was intended to reset Markle's public image in the United States but has instead sparked scrutiny of her family relationships.
Observers told us a single phrase used to describe Ragland has taken on huge significance amid rumors she is freezing her mom out of her life.
Markle refers to her mother as "a free spirit" on the show, a line that passed largely unnoticed at first but has since been re-examined by royal watchers and people familiar with the family.
Doria Ragland stepped back from daily life with the Sussex household after the series aired.
One source close to the Sussexes said the wording was deliberate.
The insider added: "On the face of it, it sounded warm, but among those who know them, it came across as a quiet step back, signaling that Meghan and Doria have very different ideas about parenting and family."
Another added: "It came across less as praise and more as a subtle point of difference."
Doria No Longer Living With Meghan And Harry
Insiders noted Ragland no longer lived with the couple after helping raise the children
Ragland previously spent extended periods living with Markle and Harry after the birth of Archie, now 6, and Lilibet, now 4, helping with childcare as the couple adjusted to life outside the U.K. royal family.
According to a separate source, that arrangement has ended for good.
"Doria was once a regular fixture in the household, closely involved in caring for the children with Meghan and Harry, but she is no longer living there, and people around them have taken note," the insider said.
Insiders Say Language Was Carefully Considered
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'With Love, Meghan' prompted renewed scrutiny of Markle’s family dynamics.
Those familiar with the production of With Love, Meghan said the description of Ragland was discussed internally.
One television insider said: "Everyone involved knew that each personal remark would be scrutinized, and the language about Meghan's mother drew notice for setting Meghan up as a deliberate, highly organized parent in contrast to a more 'free-spirited' Doria."
The insider added the contrast echoed themes Markle has emphasized about discipline, planning and control in her own parenting.
Friends of Ragland have pushed back on the suggestion that she took offense, but acknowledged a shift in dynamics between mother and daughter.
One said: "Doria's self-reliance has long been one of her defining qualities, but the everyday intimacy she and Meghan once had has faded."
Another said the comment reopened old sensitivities, adding: "It came across as an unnecessary tag applied in a very public way."
The scrutiny comes as Markle continues to promote her lifestyle brand and the Netflix series, while Harry remains largely off camera.
A source close to the couple said the duke was aware of the reaction to the remark about Ragland.
They warned: "Harry is acutely aware of how sensitive family phrasing can be, and he knows that every comment Meghan makes about her mother will be closely examined, particularly now that Doria is seen less often."
